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placebo effect
noun
: improvement in the condition of a patient that occurs in response to treatment but cannot be considered due to the specific treatment used
Examples of placebo effect in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the future, doctors could potentially enhance the effectiveness of traditional pain treatments by pairing them with activities or contexts that trigger the placebo effect.
—Byphie Jacobs, science.org, 5 Sep. 2024
That all can be grouped under the label of a placebo effect.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 3 July 2024
Sniffing out the power, and limits, of the placebo effect
Why isn’t there more research?
—Jo Morrison and Eric Moore, STAT, 4 Aug. 2024
The whole placebo effect shows that believing in something can change your physiology.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1902, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Placebo effect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/placebo%20effect. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Medical Definition
placebo effect
noun
: improvement in the condition of a patient that occurs in response to treatment but cannot be considered due to the specific treatment used
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